MK4/5 Crayford / Carbodies

The Cortina MK4, like the previous three models that bore the legendary badge, sold a million units [1,131,850]. Ford unlike the rest of  us, never acknowledged a mk5 Cortina as such, it was simply the " NEW 1980 MK4 ". Its demise in 1982 marked the end of three decades of Cortinas. The Cortinas history reflected Crayford's fortunes too. Crayford were bold and inventive to produce a mk1 before they even had a full time factory at Westerham, 42 were made. They made lots of money throughout the sixties and seventies with approx 400 each of the mk2 and mk3 Cortinas, the mk4 Crayford moved the car more upmarket and the mk5 (28 produced) marked the end for Ford / Crayford Cortina lineage and the end of serious car conversions at Crayford when the Cortina died in 1982. After the first mk5 conversion Crayford transferred production to Carbodies, but continued to produce all terrain vehicles.

Unlike ford, Crayford produced two very different animals in the Crayford Cortina 4 and 5. At first glance many would dismiss them as one and the same, but on closer inspection there were differences. Up to the mk3 orders on dealers were individual, but in 1977 Crayford managing directors took the directors of Bristol Street Motors to lunch at the Dorchester Hotel in Park Lane London. After one very cold winter topless demonstration drive around Hyde Park they returned to the hotel bar where over brandy Bristol Street Motors signed the deal to sell all mk4 Crayfords for the next year. After the Heinz 57 contract it was one of there biggest deals, Crayford and Bristol Street Motors launched the mk4 Cortina at the October motor show at Earls Court.

The mk4 Crayford Cortina was more in Crayford's "cabriolet" mould, a small awkward looking when erect hood, a longer looking rear metal deck, the saloons parcel shelf was outside the hood profile and panelled over for the classic long boot cabriolet profile. The rear quarter lights were fixed to the hood frame and moved with the hood frame, a feature used on the earlier Crayford Audi 100. As usual you had to buy a new 2 door base car from the dealer, making the car technically second hand. Then it was sent for conversion, all parties concerned then had no requirement to comply with new car safety / crash legislation. In August 1979 Ford launched the mk5 with all new "corners" all new front and rear wings, indicators, bumpers and grilles, externally only the doors, boot and bonnet carried over but it still looked like the mk4.  

Crayford followed Fords August launch of the 1980 model Cortina mk5 with the all new Crayford Cortina mk5 for the October motor show at the N.E.C. Birmingham. The roof profile was now almost the same as the saloon finishing at the boot, past the rear parcel shelf space. The rear quarter lights remained fixed to the " T " bar structure no longer going into the car with the hood. Mk4's could be had without the " T " section i.e. the rollover protection was a more open hoop style but all mk5's would have a fuller " T " rollover section that was fully padded and carried interior lighting. It was not unlike the " T " section on the Triumph Stag and would carry over to the Crayford Centaur.

Bristol Street Motors wanted the mk5 to be sold as new un-registered cars in their many branches and Perry's of  London and Quick's of Manchester also wanted new mk5's for there showrooms. The Dept of Trade and Industry would only sanction this if the car was type approved. Ford had moved mk5 Cortina two door production to the Genk plant in Belgium and only two door 1300cc saloon cars were type approved for import to Britain. Space was at a premium at the Crayford factory where both the Mercedes 450SL Condor sports estate and the VW Scirocco convertible were also being readied for the 1980 motor show.

Crayfords answer was to engage a professional to see the mk5 conversion through the legal minefield of full type approval and expected new legislation on safety. First they had to get a car to work on hence a 1300 x-flow mk5 two door was imported "legally ". It was converted by Crayford at there Westerham factory becoming the last Cortina they converted. Then it went through full type approval. This was a UK first for any aftermarket conversion company, with type approval came a "E" code approved for all E.C. countries which meant cars for Crayford to convert could be ordered and passed by the Genk Ford computer. The prototype now registered as MR L1P then went to Carbodies of Coventry along with exclusive manufacturing rights, they altered the hood slightly and modified the rear seat arrangement. The light brown trim was replaced with dark brown GL seating. It was then badged and trimmed as a GL as only 1.6, 2.0, and 2.3 GL's were to be offered for sale. In total there were 28 mk5 Crayfords produced. New in the showroom it came with full warranty from Ford and Carbodies which was a whole new concept from the mk4's marketing. Most models produced were the 2.0GLS cars. They could now pass from manufacturer to dealer within Birmingham avoiding the long shuttle process of converting cars at Westerham. The mk5 Crayford made the 1980 motor show, but sales never reached expected levels the last car produced was a 2.3 GLS model which was now £14,000 for a fully loaded 2.3 convertible costing as much as a Jaguar.

In the 1980s, Crayford started to diversify its operations, and consequently the focus moved away from conversion work. In 1980, it farmed out its neat but expensive Cortina MKV convertible to independent coachbuilders Carbodies. Carbodies' recently-appointed MD, Grant Lockhart, was keen to add some new strings to the company's bow, thus reducing their dependence on the FX4 taxicab, and the idea of attaching their name to a convertible seemed attractive. However, despite Crayford's great experience and reputation as Britain's foremost converters, Carbodies were not impressed with the way the Cortina conversion had been implemented. There were no proper technical drawings for the job, no jigs to hold the body in shape while the roof was removed, and quality, fit and finish of the hood and the windscreen area were far below the standards that Carbodies were used to working to. In fact, far from marking a new beginning for Carbodies, the Cortina project would prove to be one the last before they decided to concentrate solely on the production of the FX4. Crayford, meanwhile, concentrated their efforts on the production and development of its Argocat all-terrain vehicle, and this still forms the core of the company's business today.

It is not known how many MK4 Crayfords were made and how many still exist. If you own a MK4 Crayford please e-mail me.

Showroom prices in January 1978 were:

1600 - £6545.00
2.0 - £6851.00
2.3 - £7321.00
 

PVP3R - press photo		PVP3R - engine		PVP3R
PVP3R		PVP3R - interior		PVP3R

There were 29 mk5 Crayfords produced 27 are known to still survive as 1 has been stolen and one has been scrapped due to fire damage.

Main dealership was Bristol Street Motors of Birmingham.
Other dealerships were
Perry Motors, Finchley, London and
Quick's Motors of Manchester

Highest priced car was HOE400W, a 2.3 with every option including chrome wire wheels,
power steering and electric windows - £14,000.00!!

Crayford No 29 - A40UOE

Crayford No 26 - RUK15Y

Crayford No 13 ULN8X

Additional Information supplied by Simon Libbish

	Promoting the Ford Cortina worldwide regardless of model and/or condition
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